Congress named 4 for global outreach, Tharoor not included
What's the story
The Indian National Congress submitted a list of four names for an all-party delegation to explain India's position on terrorism from Pakistan. However, senior leader Shashi Tharoor's name was missing from the list.
The party was asked by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju to submit these names on May 16.
The final selection was announced by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, with Tharoor as the head of the delegation.
Nominees list
Congress's official nominees for international delegation
The Congress had recommended Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, and Raja Brar for the international delegation.
Jairam Ramesh, a senior party leader, confirmed this on social media.
He wrote that "the INC was asked to submit names of 4 MPs for the delegations to be sent abroad to explain India's stance on terrorism from Pakistan."
Twitter Post
Jairam Ramesh's post on X
Yesterday morning, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju spoke with the Congress President and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The INC was asked to submit names of 4 MPs for the delegations to be sent abroad to explain India's stance on terrorism from…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 17, 2025
Diplomatic criticism
BJP questions Congress's choices for diplomatic meetings
The Bharatiya Janata Party has questioned the Congress's choice of representatives for international diplomatic meetings.
"The Congress party's choices to represent India at diplomatic meetings are not just intriguing - they are deeply questionable," wrote BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya on X.
The seven-member delegation will leave on a 10-day diplomatic outreach on May 23, covering Washington, London, Abu Dhabi, Pretoria, and Tokyo.
Leadership role
Tharoor to lead all-party delegation, expresses honor
Despite not being on the Congress's list of nominees, Tharoor will lead the all-party delegation.
He said he was "honored" by the government's invitation and promised to serve national interests.
The delegation will present India's "zero tolerance" policy on terrorism and discuss 'Operation Sindoor', launched after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
Controversial comments
Tharoor's remarks on government's military response draw criticism
Tharoor's recent comments supporting the government's military response have drawn criticism from within the Congress.
He praised the government for acting with restraint and precision during strikes in Pakistan and PoK.
However, these remarks contradict the party's official stance, which has criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for its lack of transparency over a ceasefire agreement with the US.
Political dynamics
Tharoor's relationship with Congress high command
Tharoor's relationship with the Congress high command has been tumultuous.
He was dropped as party spokesperson in 2014 after praising Modi, and was part of the G-23 group demanding reforms in 2020.
In 2022, he contested against Mallikarjun Kharge for the Congress presidency, winning over 1,000 delegate votes despite Kharge's support from the Gandhi family.